Bivi Thread
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I've never used a bivi but i'm enticed by the small pack size and relative simplicity of them. What's the pro's and con's of going /out/ in a bivi?
I was tempted to throw some cash down on a Rab Ridge Raider (pic related) because it looks so cozy and easy but then I thought perhaps I could just try a cheaper Alpkit Hunka to start with and take my tent fly along with me, which I could throw up over me in the event of rain (I dont own a tarp).
...but then why not just stick with my small 2 man tent as a whole?
>>775171
I want to go bivy for my solo trips because I want to travel lite, go farther, faster, easier. Pack weight just ads up too damn fast.
Most small 1-2 person "tents" still push +3 lbs.
Bivy is about the only way to get below 2 lbs from what I've seen browsing online.
I particularly kike the looks of that model in OP pic. the full length side opening looks awesome
>>775181
>kike
*like
>>775184
>Not a freudian slip
*Rubs hands*
>>775186
>Jewing intensifies
>>775181
So as far as you're concerned, weight is the only reason to consider a bivi? A Terra Nova Voyager Ultra 2 tent weighs in at 2lb 3oz...but fuck they're expensive.
>>775211
>Ultra 2 tent weighs in at 2lb 3oz...but fuck they're expensive.
yeah, that and usually when i look at the specs of a tent like that, the listed weight doesn't include the groundcloth or rain-fly. I dont know about the one you mentioned exactly , but thats usually the trick they use to make it sound 'ultralite"
But, I am trying to balance the desire for 'ultralite' weight, compact pack-ability, and a cost that is reasonable to me. presently cant see myself wanting to spend ,more than $200 on a tent or bivy shelter.
Guess that's why i'm leaning towards the bivy. Generally they can be had in the weight range i want for under $200 (less than 2lbs for less than $200)
>>775184
>kike
Well I know what other board you post on.
Hail Hydra
>>775171
Pros:
Weight
Packsize
Small footprint - easy to select a campsite
Fast/Easy setup
Robust against wind/rain/snow (depending on fabric)
Cons:
Condensation
Setup/takedown when raining sucks
Getting in/out when raining sucks (if you have to go pee or whatever)
No gear storage space - need a pack cover or extra tarp to cover your gear
Some don't have enough vertical space to have your sleeping pad inside
Some don't have enough vertical space to properly loft sleeping bag
Too cramped to change clothes
I have a BD Bipod Bivy - I wrote a review on amazon which you can read there.
Overall I found that the downsides are actually quite significant, but despite that I still take my bivy out for trips where it suits more than a tent (generally longer distance goals, smaller pack, etc). Tarp alone is not really my thing due to being more restricted in setup location, and less robust against harsh weather.
I have the outdoor research bivy. Pic is not of mine but it's similar to what you can expect while actually using it. The picture you posted looks like a MUCH better design.
The pros that I will give mine is that it does work and it's right around 2 pounds, and packs small. The build quality is pretty solid.
The cons: it opens at the back, only at the back. To get in and out, you have to shimmy through the front, much to the amusement of anyone who can see you. If you wake up having to pee, it's an ordeal.
It's a claustrophobic's worst nightmare. I'm not bad about tight spaces but I get a little panicky in it myself, partially due to how hard it is to get in and out. I get scared of getting attacked by a bear or the bivy catching on fire or something and not being able to get out. Or suffocating.
The lid is in two parts, a goretex half and a bug net. Unless it's raining, I have the goretex lid unzipped. Problem is, it's not designed to be held out of the way. I use a carabiner to clip it up to where the pole is, but the excess still falls down close to my face.
You can't do shit in it. Raining? Didn't bring a tarp for a shelter? Lie down in your sarcophagus and wait it out. Can't read in it. Can't mess with anything. You can only lie inside it.
The one you posted looks like a better design because it would be easier to get in and out of, but I would still recommend against a bivy unless you're an ultra lightweight guy who is opposed to just sleeping under a tarp tent.
>>775337
What do you use tent do you like to use? I've been using the OR Helium for a while and I've had a few issues with it so I'm looking to switch to a solo tent.
>>775171
I recently got a Nemo tainto. It's small, light, and and very inconspicuous. Great for hunting, stealth camping. Toss it behind a log and you're gone. One significant issue I found with it though is condensation. With the rain fly up, water beads on the inside of it and since the sleeping bag often touches this inside of the rainfly you will wake up damp unless you get creative and set up a crossbreeze by elevating sections of the fly. Be sure to get one made of mesh with a rainfly to go over the top so you can set up a crossbreeze because if you get the kind that's one piece that seals up completely it may get stuffy and wet in there. My bivy is 30" tall and fine for reading but it makes smoking pot a little tricky. I already melted a small hole in the mesh.
I have had mine for years. Settle for a Tarptent or a light tarp. A bivy is good for climbing and not much else.
>>775283
This guy has slept in a Bivy before. Biggest issue out of any is condensation and organizing your shit in such a way that it doesn't become an issue.
>>775337
How tall are you? 6'3 here. I use the same bivy and don't have an issue doing anything in it. As >>775283 mentioned, changing clothes is a bitch though.
>>775406
There's a reason every manufacturer ever posts a warning against having fires of any kind in a tent, retard.
>>775461
Sensible, but I think Bivy v tarp boils down to heat. If you are anywhere that gets remotely cold, Bivy is the only real answer. Tent v Bivy on the other hand, that really boils down to if you are fat or if you are aiming for ultralight.
>>775283
A thousand times this.
I've hated every night I've bivy'ed.
Also to add, down bags + bivy don't go well together due to condensation.
And the fact they have no bug nets suck
Honestly at the price point of some of the better designed bivys I'd rather just get an UL tent, such as pic related:
>Alpkit Ordos 2
>1300 g
>an actual inner and outer
>>775568
OP here.
That tent is Inner pitch first and the hydrostatic head on that model isnt great either.
I think i'm going to forego the rab bivi and get a Force Ten Helium 200 instead.
>Pitches all in one
>1400g
>2 man
>Optional footprint available so can use without inner for even lighter weight option
I may still go for an alpkit hunka though. Theyre pretty cheap and may be a worthwhile addition to my kit for shits and giggles.
>>775246
i liked it.
its basically 'another slice of life' anime with 'cute girls doing cute things'
but it involves hiking and camping and the thrill, excitement and anticipations of first getting into it at a young age.
definitely worth watching
>>775657
heheheh, reminds me of taking the young ones backpacking, heard all that stuff. but they liked it eventually
The area I live in is classified as arctic in the winter so I use a bivi rather than a tarp.
>>775406
Have you seen the snugpak ionosphere? Looks similar to that but theres room for a bag at the head end.
>>775171
OP where was the photo taken?
>>775171
i feel vonerable in a tend or bivvy like pictured.. idk why i like being able to see around me at any moment like when under a tarp
>>775735
i know these feels. being in an enclosed tent is like being completely blind to the wild beasts that could be all around me and i would never know
Just get a one man tent like this one. It's less than $100, weights about 2lbs, condensation isnt a big issue and the poles are short enough that they can be replaced with a branch in the field.
Gonna be trekking the next few days, first time with a bivvy & tarp combination. Will report back on monday.
>>775793
Where to?
>>775793
Do you have a shot of your set up?
>>775798
I'm planing the Heysen trail SA
>>775793
Describe setup pls
I looked at getting a bivi when I was shopping for a one man tent and decided to just go with the tent. The gud bivis were more expensive than a gud single man tent with more space. A decent tent will also pack up almost as small as a bivi.
>>775830
It was the BA Seedhouse LE for $145 with the footprint a couple of months ago, by the way. It's out of stock at BC and the new model is $100 more but you might be able to find it somewhere else. It's light as fuck and packs well and comes with some really nice hardware.
>>775777
2lb for 100 shekels? What is the name of this elusive shelter, mang.
>>776045
Not him, but it's a eureka solitar. I have the same tent. Been using it for around 9 years now and I really love it, minus the entrance. You can roll the outer shell back and have just the bug net over you for hot summer nights. And I have plenty of room for my bag, rifle, and boots inside. Just wish it wasn't bright yellow.
>>776045
Make sure you get the one with aluminum poles
I've got my army basha that I used when I was in the army reserves, and I was fine in that, even in heavy rain, if I had it set up as an A Frame. I'd set it up so one end was against a tree, and blocked the other end with my Bergan. Kept me dry enough.
As long as you don't mind having very little space to manoeuver, a bivi is the perfect shelter IMO.
I reckon I'll get one of those myself. I didn't know they existed.
>>776057
>eureka solitar.
i been eye balling that thing since forever. this year i just might get me one
>>775283
Condensation can definitely be an issue if you're completely zipping yourself in. Usually you don't have to do that.
One other issue I would bring up is that if you have an old milsurp bivi bag without a frame to keep the material away from your face, or your frame breaks for whatever reason, then wet goretex pressing against your face is basically equivalent to being water-boarded. It's an altogether miserable experience.
So definitely get one with a frame, and don't break it.
>>775682
Arctic here as well. Tarp works just fine, stop being a pussy and bring an extra layer or two of wool.
>>776113
Can confirm. If you've got a good sleeping bag, as long as you're not getting piss wet through, you'll sleep like a baby. I've slept nude in my sleeping bag in temperatures below freezing.
Any UK guys got any experience with bivis? I'm thinking of hiking from just outside London to East Wales over the summer and I'm tempted to get one
Not sure what they're like with British conditions though
>>776118
Sometimes you don't have anything to anchor the tarp to, or the wind is so fucking bad that trying to string a tarp is asking to lose it.
I guess the better choice between the two would depend on the terrain & weather conditions.
>>776057
Yep, it's a great tent but a little tight if you are over six feet tall.
>>775171
STOOOOOOOP
>2.8 pounds, 1.3kg
>78$, 70€
>free standing
>roomy enough to sit up in, make food, change clothes, not worry about condensation, keep pack dry
>sauce: aliexpress
>bivy
>not even once
also own one. does what it says on the can
>>777669
wbt?
http://www.gearbest.com/camping/pp_184913.html?currency=GBP&gclid=Cj0KEQjw4J-6BRD3h_KIoqijwvkBEiQAfcPiBUycbnMpYFv7Spn5CaBN8Z9s5czT-8rY8t36S01QKToaAt_-8P8HAQ
>>777678
"wbt?"?
Neat tent, if you dont mind it not being freestanding
>sweden
>rocky soil
>>777669
>>2.8 pounds
lolno thanks.
not too bad. but still a little too heavy.
max weight must be 2lbs or less.
>>777755
marmot nitro
>>777669
>making food in your tent
>ever
Fucking Yuroqueers, I hope you get eaten alive by bears when you come over to Canada
>>777889
fucking fags.
if there are no bears why shouldn't anon cook in his tent?
>wearing sun cream at night
makes perfect sense
>>777669
I saw a review somewhere and it's bullshit. The thing actually weights more than 2 kilos. Cheeky chinks just weight the inner tent.
>>777891
its a difficult concept for us bugerfats because everywhere we camp there is usually the potential for man-killing cats and/or bear around.
>>775171
If you go with a bivy get the one in the picture
I have used the Outdoor Research bag
Did a 100 mile trek with 2 friends in the Sierras
I just had the bivy and a silk bag to sleep in, was trying for super light
1 set of clothes, no anything extra, did the whole trip on power bars and emergency solid food cubes, no stove, no nothing
Rained a lot, mummified in the bivy dreaming of space, and food, food and more food, hot food
Buddies laughed at my ass the whole time
Still like to brag that i did it, super light, they remind me about hearing me cry during a major rain and hail storm, and all the begging I did for some real food
>>775171
BD Tripod bivy here
Super light and compact, great protection from rain at night. Great protection from the wind, and sub-zero temperature under a leento in winter.
I've never taken it when rain was in the forcast (tricky to predict in the mountains). Clausterphobia X10 on one winter trip. I bought a SW tent since then.
>>778302
those people sound like jerks. by the way, they were probably slowing you down. lots of people don't use stoves by the way-- just there are better things to eat than "solid food cubes" whatever the heck those are, :^)
>>776082
Here we call them hoochies. I love mine, got it from an army disposals store. The only issue I've had with it was insects, but even then it wasn't too bad - I just bought a little bot of mozzie netting to cover my face, and I grab stick to poke it up.
>but then why not just stick with my small 2 man tent as a whole?
Because you are easily swayed by the Jew and fell for the meme. Also you are probably a giant faggot
>>778380
>"solid food cubes" whatever the heck those are, :^)
they are pretty much this, my step-dad is a sky is falling super prepper, he has cases and cases of these things also SOS and Datrex have similar products I ttok the Mainstay's, they taste as good as you might imagine, carboard flavor woud have been an upgrade, always have some in my EDC and in my car
http://www.amazon.com/Mainstay-Emergency-Food-Rations-Pack/dp/B000B43JZS
>>778546
>Mainstay-Emergency-Food-Rations
Flour, lard and sugar?
well, it is good basic ration for short term survival.
Also you can bring raw uncooked rice and you dont have to cook it. soak it in water for long enough and its edible
>>778546
oh got it. i actually heard an ad on the radio the other day that was like "your family will be eating instead of being in a food riot." and i was like ... no way can this be serious. well in the future sort of a good rule of thumb for food is that you only want to carry stuff that is at least 100 calories/ounce. Other considerations are simplicity/messinesses etc. So within those guidlines there's a lot of stuff you can do-- for example, a solid breakfast can be granola or grapenuts with powdered milk that you reconstitute in a small ziplock and then pour the cereal in and eat right out of the ziplock with a plastic spoon. when you are done, you just seal of the ziplock and put it in your trash bag no mess no fuss. pots and pans and the kitchen sink are nice if you ard camping, but the question is are you hiking or camping?
by the way, it seems like there are fair number of these people waiting for society to collapse people on here. the funny thing is is that if society did collapse, ironically these people and their guns and ammo would be the chief problem! :^)
>>775171
What is the bivi in pic related called?
>>778880
I checked their website for that product and it looked very different
>>775171g
Try and find a small one person tent. I got this off ebay for $40 it's very good and much better than a bivy.
>>778750
>the funny thing is is that if society did collapse, ironically these people and their guns and ammo would be the chief problem! :^)
people who have a stash of food and weapons/ammo to defend it would be a problem? Not gangs of roaming dindus looking for food and your daughter? top cuck
>>777916
I've seen them claim everything from 1.2kg to 1.8 on the site, but 1.3kg is my own figure, straight from my kitchen scales
That's including everything you need: 6 stakes (could do without these), poles, inner and outer tent. Excluding the memes: bag, ground tarp, storm lines (you do not want to be using it in the first place if you are going to need storm lines)
>>779161
they're called guy lines not storm lines, and are not just for hurricane force1000 tsunami shit.
>>779158
me: hey! wow, holy cow i'm glad to see you! is there water around here?
you: [murders me for no reason-- starves to death three weeks later after your cardboard rations run out]
>>779163
lol ok
only ever used them innamountains. if you're innawoods you wont need them
>>779172
>>if society did collapse
>me: hey! wow, holy cow i'm glad to see you! is there water around here?
what do you think would happen "if society did collapse"? your phone loses network and starbucks closes down?
no i'm telling you. i think i'd porbably get murdered by a lunatic like you which will be the greatest threat for people like me who actually would know how to survive. that's what i think would happen.
>>779191
You would get murdered indeed, but not by people like me. You actually know how to survive, but you think the greatest danger in a SHTF situation would be preppers? You're a bernie voter, right?
>>779193
yeah it would be "preppers." your whole plan relies on using guns to protect your "stash." so let's take the most likely situation which is an accidental nuclear war. i'm going to flee as best as possible-- this means heading away from the city as far as possible. now suppose i run into a "prepper." they are going to be "protecting" their "stash" (what their plan after this-- say a year on, well, maybe they can eat their ammunition at some point)-- and first of all, God help me if I'm black, and second, one of two things will happen, either I'll get killed straightaway, or once I get reasonably set up somewhere, the "prepper" is going to realized that they aren't really prepared at all. Since they already have a "kill or be killed" mindset, well, guess how that's going to turn out for me? Not well. So yes, the number one worry for me would be you lunatics/gun nuts.
>>778750
Not really, no one is going to go around killing people if they have what they need, they just won't take that risk.
>>779129
Could someone explain the difference between this and a bivvy?
>>780278
Yeah its a tent.
double layer
groundsheet
pegged out
poles
but very similar to what some people might designate a 'hooped bivvy'
>>775406
>stealth camping
>>780334
For when you're camping where you shouldn't be.
>>775793
>>775798
>>775801
>>775811
Back from my trip. I was trekking on the "Lahnwandersteig" in germany. Pic related is my setup.
The tarp is a "DD superlight tarp" (2.9m x 3.0m). The bivy bag is a "Outdoor Research Molecule Bivy".
As I've said, this is my first time using this setup and I'm really happy with how it turned out.
In the past I've been using a tarp-tent. I had several problems with that. The biggest problem is arriving at a campsite when it's raining. Not being able to cook and having to lay inside the tent for several hours, before you can even think of sleeping, just ruins the experience for me. With the tarp I can actually cook and I have enough space to sit or to pack my bag.
The next big advantage of a tarp is being closer to nature. In a tent I always feel closer to being inside than being outside. With a tarp I'm outside 100% of the time.
Tarps seems very versatile. You can create a shelter for several people to sit or sleep under. You can build something close to a tent and I think there might even be good setups for stormy weather. Using a tarp is a craft though and you'll have to put in some time to use it effectively.
The bivy bag is mainly for bug protection. But it also protects from wet campgrounds and provides some more insulation. If you're sure about the weather you can ditch the tarp and just use the bivy bag.
You can't see it in the picture, but the bivy has a seperate mosquito net. I almost exclusively used just the net and never fully closed the bivy.
On another note: I can't see how someone would think a bivy is claustrophobic. A normal sleeping bag seems more claustrophobic to me.
Even though this setup is heavier than my tarptent I really like it. This will probably become my standard setup. The tarp-tent I'll use in really hot weather (more like a mosquito-tent).
>>775709
that's one of the ones I looked at. I dismissed it because it had too many poles then I prefer. Also I find it more convenient to store gear on the side as that way you can use your pack to elevate the wet rain fly above you.
>>780443
I'm interested in the bivy. I plan to walk Venezia to Munich (or as fas i can) in september.
Is the bivy fully waterproof towards the ground? I don't want to bring a groundsheet.
The weight is stated as 650g for the long and 610 for the regular version, can you confirm?
Will i fit into the regular version with 188cm height and a thermarest prolite mat?
>>780443
>I can't see how someone would think a bivy is claustrophobic. A normal sleeping bag seems more claustrophobic to me.
i think this is people mixing up bivy sacks and bivy tents. im not sure of the correct terminology either but i understand bivy sacks/bags are those large sleeping bags to have on top of your regular sleeping bag to protect it from weather. gore-tex and shit.
bivy tents/shelters then are more like small tents. the principle is the same, bivy tents just have some room between the bivy and the sleeping bag achieved with some kind of a hoop structure.
>>780709
Yeah, his post is confusing me too, he also describes his tarptent to be only big enough to lay inside and do not much else, not even sit or pack your bag. This sounds more like a hooped bivy because most tarptents are the same size as a regular 1 person tent, maybe a little bit smaller...
>>780709
bivy and hooped bivy, dude
>>780733
He campares the space of his tarptebt with rhat of a regular tarp.
>>775181
Gotta be honest. I have a nice black Diamond Sabre and it is light as all fuck. But it isn't that quick or easy to set up, and frankly it's uncomfortable as fuck. The condensation and heat just kind of suck even though it's allegedly good as far as bivys go (as I understand it this is a chronic problem). I virtually always carry my Big Agnes solo when out backpacking and on everything from overnights to 14 day AT sections, I never regret it.
I sometimes get really zealous about going absolute UL minimalist but sometimes I feel like that one pound is worth it. Just my two cents.
>>780667
The bivy is all around waterproof and the stated weight is correct.
I'm 183cm tall and I fit the bivy just fine. Fitting your backpack in there as well might be a problem.
>>780709
Yes there are hooped bivy bags. Mine can be set up like in the pic (just tying some rope over a branch).
>>780733
Might have been overly exaggerated, but the space in my tarptent is certainly not enough to sit comfortably or move around alot. Yes I can pack my bag in there but it's nowhere near as spacious as a tarp.
What single tent is in the picture?
>>776155
I like them. Make sure you have a large tarp. Those two things combined will keep you and your stuff dry
>>778546
>step-dad
What if all your stuff gets rained on?
>>782316
Tarps
>>782256
Never talk to me or my mother's husband ever again.
